This invention relates generally to a novel monitoring apparatus, and more particularly to a monitoring apparatus for use in monitoring the level of seeds within a hopper associated with automatic seed planting apparatus. While certain features of this invention may be adapted for many different uses, the disclosure will be facilitated by directing it particularly to the problem of monitoring the level of seed in hoppers associated with the type of apparatus having one hopper of seeds per row being planted. However, it will be understood that the seed level sensing apparatus disclosed herein can be used with automatic seed planting equipment utilizing a common hopper for a multitude of rows of seed being planted.
As is well known, a farmer engaged in mechanized planting of various seeds utilizes automatic seed planting machinery adapted to be pulled behind a tractor. Such seed planting machines usually include a plurality of separate planting devices arranged side by side to simultaneously plant a corresponding plurality of rows of crop. Such rows of crop generally extend for substantial distances from one end to the other. Some of the planting devices presently used are provided with a separate hopper of seeds for each row being planted while other planting devices have a common hopper containing seeds for a plurality of rows of seeds being planted. With either type of seed planting machinery the farmer may run low of seeds in one or more hoppers while the seed planting machinery is operating in the middle of a large field. If this should happen, the farmer then must stop the planting operation and go to the perimeter of the field where additional seeds are usually kept to again fill the hopper or hoppers. This is a time-consuming and arduous task because it may require disconnecting the tractor from the seed planting apparatus and driving the tractor to the perimeter of the field where the seeds are kept. In planting of large fields of hundreds of acres, as is often the case in large, mechanized planting operations, this reduces the planting efficiency and increases cost of the planting of seeds.
The mechanized seed planting apparatus presently used for automatic planting of seeds generally includes seed sensing means associated with each of the seed dispensing units and coupled to a common seed planter monitor. This automatic sensing equipment tells the tractor operator when one of the dispensing units is not operating properly. This malfunction can either take the form of stoppage of seeds being planted or a change in the desired number of seeds being planted per unit area, either a decrease or increase being the case.